The Sevier School District's pilot breakfast program has flopped due to lack of participation, says Karen Pace, director of the district's child nutrition program.
She said only 24 students participated at the Ashman Elementary in Richfield and an average of seven at North Sevier High School. Late-arriving buses didn't allow some students enough time for breakfast at the elementary school, it was concluded."We were in hopes that this program would be successful and lead to programs in other schools," Pace said. "But even though that didn't happen, we want to leave our options open for another time.
She also announced that the lunch program has saved $12,000 this year by calling for a full-year instead of monthly bids.
"The savings is not only in money but also in the number of trucks delivering at the warehouse and the time required to unload," she said.
Pace said a rise in the number of families qualifying for free-meal benefits and a decrease in the sale of reduced-price lunches in the district suggests lower family incomes.
About 1,015 families with 1,500 students have qualified for free or reduced-price meal benefits in the district this year. "Many application forms listing zero income are from those who have moved into the valley, live with relatives and hope some job will materialize," Pace said.
During the 1992-93 school year, 207,297 free noon lunches were served, 81,863 reduced-price meals and 208,867 at the full price. Just through November this year, 67,440 free meals and 33,069 reduced-price meals were served.
Some 44,269 lunches were also served during the summer program, Pace said. This compared with 1992 meals of 48,390; 1991, 47,768; 1990, 49,923; and 1989, 44,835.
All meals served during the 1992-93 school year totaled 498,127 compared with 521,022 the previous year. Pace said the decrease can be attributed to a greater number of high school students who leave the campus for midday meals.